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The Right Fight: How Great Leaders Use Healthy Conflict to Drive Performance, Innovation, and Value

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As I read the Introduction to this book, I was reminded of two observations by Peter Drucker and one by Michael Porter. First Drucker: "There is surely nothing quite so useless as doing with great efficiency what should not be done at all" and "The most serious mistakes are not being made as a result of wrong answers. The true dangerous thing is asking the wrong question." Now Porter: "The essence of strategy is choosing what not to do. " Especially given the current and imminent global economy, it is imperative for business leaders to keep these observations in mind when deciding what to do...and what not to do. This is what Saj-nicole Joni and Damon Beyer seem to have in mind when asserting that "if you want to succeed in an age of ever-increasing complexity, you have to establish clear vision, set strategy, and build alignment. Then you need to systematically orchestrate right fights - and fight them right."

They recommend six "Right Fight Principles" to guide and inform decisions made and devote a separate chapter to each - explaining HOW to apply the principles by citing real-world examples -- in Parts Two and Three, once they have established (in Part One) a context, a frame-of-reference, for them by explaining how and why leaders "must introduce and manage right fights to achieve their strategic objectives. More specifically, to create breakthrough performance, meaningful innovation, and lasting values" and to "use tension for maximum benefits" while recognizing ("decoding") and then avoiding "all kinds of wrong fights." Then in Part Four, they provide tests for identifying and leading right fights as well as an "eye-opening" assessment tool for teams, "The Reverse Fishbowl."

It may seem simplistic to affirm the importance of "fighting" what should be fought and "fighting" it right but, in fact, there are several important issues to consider once a decision has been made to engage in "battle." For example, terms of engagement such as when and where, allocation of resources, and contingency planning (with or without use of scenaria). Even when in full compliance with the "Right Fight Principles" that Joni and Beyer advocate, preparations for any significant engagement must be flexible, taking into full account whatever adjustments may need to be made. While serving as the Supreme Allied Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force (SHAEF), General Dwight Eisenhower is reported to have observed, "Plans are nothing; planning is everything."

Credit Joni and Beyer with providing a wealth of evidence-driven insights and sound counsel that can be of substantial value to decision-makers in organizations that now struggle to increase and improve performance, innovation, and value. It would be a fool's errand to attempt to apply all of their suggestions and recommendations. Rather, each reader must read and then re-read this book with great care, then select whatever material is most appropriate to her needs and interests, and, to achieving the strategic objectives of her or his organization. That said, I do presume to suggest that the six "Right Fight Principles" are eminently suitable for guiding and informing efforts to overcome the inevitable challenges, and resolve the inevitable complications during the process of planning and then implementing the initiatives to achieve those objectives.

Although I have not as yet found anything specific in Joseph Schumpeter's books and articles that says so, I assume he realized that creative tension is a prerequisite to creative destruction. The right fights that must be fought internally cannot be fought right without clarity, courage, and candor within a culture of transparency. Only then can the right external fights be fought right...and won.

The power of enlightened and principled advocacy

As I read he Introduction to this book, I was reminded of two observations by Peter Drucker and one by Michael Porter. First Drucker: "There is surely nothing quite so useless as doing with great efficiency what should not be done at all" and "The most serious mistakes are not being made as a result of wrong answers. The true dangerous thing is asking the wrong question." Now Porter: "The essence of strategy is choosing what not to do. " Especially given the current and imminent global economy, it is imperative for business leaders to keep these observations in mind when deciding what to do...and what not to do. This is what Saj-nicole Joni and Damon Beyer seem to have in mind when asserting that "if you want to succeed in an age of ever-increasing complexity, you have to establish clear vision, set strategy, and build alignment. Then you need to systematically orchestrate right fights - and fight them right."

They recommend six "Right Fight Principles" to guide and inform decisions made and devote a separate chapter to each - explaining HOW to apply the principles by citing teal-world examples -- in Parts Two and Three, once they have established (in Part One) a context, a frame-of-reference, for them by explaining how and why leaders "must introduce and manage right fights to achieve their strategic objectives. More specifically, to create breakthrough performance, meaningful innovation, and lasting values" and to "use tension for maximum benefits" while recognizing ("decoding") and then avoiding "all kinds of wrong fights." Then in Part Four, they provide tests for identifying and leading right fights as well as an "eye-opening" assessment tool for teams, "The Reverse Fishbowl."

It may seem simplistic to affirm the importance of "fighting" what should be fought and "fighting" it right but, in fact, there are several important issues to consider once a decision has been made to engage in "battle." For example, terms of engagement such as when and where, allocation of resources, and contingency planning (with or without use of scenaria). Even when in full compliance with the "Right Fight Principles" that Joni and Beyer advocate, preparations for any significant engagement must be flexible, taking into full account whatever adjustments may need to be made. While serving as the Supreme Allied Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force (SHAEF), General Dwight Eisenhower is reported to have observed, "Plans are nothing; planning is everything."

Credit Joni and Beyer with providing a wealth of evidence-driven insights and sound counsel that can be of substantial value to decision-makers in organizations that now struggle to increase and improve performance, innovation, and value. It would be a fool's errand to attempt to apply all of their suggestions and recommendations. Rather, each reader must read and then re-read this book with great care, then select whatever material is most appropriate to her needs and interests, and, to achieving the strategic objectives of her or his organization. That said, I do presume to suggest that the six "Right Fight Principles" are eminently suitable for guiding and informing efforts to overcome the inevitable challenges, and resolve the inevitable complications during the process of planning and then implementing the initiatives to achieve those objectives.

Although I have not as yet found anything specific in Joseph Schumpeter's books and articles that says so, I assume he realized that creative tension is a prerequisite to creative destruction. The right fights that must be fought internally cannot be fought right without clarity, courage, and candor within a culture of transparency. Only then can the right external fights be fought right...and won.

The Right Fight should be required reading for every leader of an organization. Saj-Nicole Joni brings deep insight into the importance of focusing on the real issues with a sense of urgency. When change is at stake, people often become uncomfortable, and rather than confront the heart of the issue, will quarrel over petty grievances. In organizations with a more confrontation-averse culture, important discussions are avoided in order to be "nice" to colleagues (or just politically loyal). As a result, we often miss the point of why we come to work each day which is to make real things happen for the world. In this sense, according to Joni, Right Fights are critical to our very survival as organizations, as communities, as full human beings. I have found the language and frameworks of Right Fights to be very useful in my own organization and cannot recommend it highly enough.

As you'd expect from Joni, she asks fantastic questions. Are we having the right fight? should be asked in every boardroom, every meeting room, and at every water cooler. You could also ask yourself: are we having enough fights? Are we fighting them the right way? This book will provoke a great deal of excellent thinking and probably a lot of fighting - of the best possible kind. What I especially liked about it was the insight that conflict can be good, not for its own sake, but for the truths which it teases out. Probably the single worst thing most businesses do is suppress conflict; with this book, they might have more courage to be better informed. It's a quick, easy read that will leave you better equipped to find out what is going on in your business or department and with far better ideas about what to do about them.

CEOs need this book. We don't need more simplistic five point formulas. Chapter 3, "Jack Sparr Takes on a Right Fight", resonated with me because it captured a sense of the complexity we must deal with when no solutions are "right" and we must force our teams to move out of their comfort zones and compete with each other to find a truly new solution and not a compromise.

I am reminded of all the wasted energy I saw (and contributed to) at AT&T while we were planning and implementing the massive divestiture and reorganization of the Bell System. There were many fights that needed to be fought for the good of all but the energy that went into the wrong fights sapped the strength of the organization and in the end made it impossible to succeed in the new world we helped to create.

Saj-nicole Joni and Damon Beyer have done a good job showing us the obvious need to fight the right fights is a very difficult leadership challenge. We need to always be asking ourselves is this a fight worth fighting (and how do I know)? But selecting the right fights isn't enough. You must also fight the right fights right. Fighting the right fights wrong can be more destructive than fighting the wrong fights.

One of the most important lessons that Joni and Beyer present from their research is the critical role outsiders can play in suggesting ways to 'change the picture' and look at problems from a new place. And, the critical role that your gut plays in helping you know when you need to change the picture.

A valuable tool for non-profit, philanthropy and other mission-driven leaders searching for better tools to help decide which battles are worth fighting. Beyer/Joni's practical, real-life examples can be applied to any organization. Most mission-driven leaders tend to avoid conflict. Helpful to me as a leader to learn the perils of avoiding internal tension and how to have productive conflict as part of your culture.

Principles for dealing with the "Bad Actors" and Bullies of the corporate world. If you have to fight, Fight Right.

It is all to clear to those of us who have learned how to be successful as "Agents of Change" within large corporations that there is a difficulty in challenging the 'status quo', and with that comes a responsibility.

I personally believe that if it should be done, it must be done, and if it must be done, then do it right. This book was not available when I started out in my career, I wish it was, it would have saved me a lot of grief.

In so many ways this book validated my choice to stay and do the right thing by my peers, I honestly felt like I was lost in the desert for my choice to willingly challenge others. This book helped me to see that I was right to have made that choice, what a surprise.

Richard Platt

(former) Intel - Global Innovation Program Manager & Senior Instructor for Innovation Methods

Whether for the business executive, non-profit manager, or lay reader, this book is accessible and a quick read. The authors give a wealth of examples showing how the "right fight" can use tension in creative ways to maximize profits or productivity, while reducing unnecessary stress and gamesmanship. The book helpfully reviews the dangerous pitfalls to be avoided in "wrong fights."

Imagine how screwed up an organization would be if the head-honcho never heard the voice of dissent on anything. Suppose every initiative that seemed like a good idea to the CEO was always unanimously supported by a staff of "yes men/women". Surely something is going to be not such a hot idea; some may even be complete disasters; but if a conference room full of executives always votes in favor of any hair-brained scheme concocted by the boss, there's trouble brewing.

Unfortunately, that's business as usual for many struggling organizations throughout corporate America. Of course, that's no way to run a business, as the authors, Saj-nicole Joni & Damon Beyer demonstrate in this wonderful book; a little bit of conflict; a little healthy competition; that's what's needed to get those competitive juices flowing to drive performance and create the right atmosphere for innovation.

The authors pinpoint a half dozen key principles for successfully engaging in what they refer to as "right fights"; this ensures that each issue is dealt with in an even handed manner, and is worthy of being addressed. This reduces the chances of petty bickering going on between rival factions; it's got to be a worthwhile initiative, or else forget about it!

Certainly, the concept of "teamwork" may be slightly redefined; it's not important for everyone to "agree" on everything; that would be counterproductive. The successful "teams" welcome the voice of dissent and feel free to debate the best course of action, looking at things from a variety of perspectives. This requires everyone to actively participate in the process of "getting things done"; taking the easy way out just won't cut it.

For any business looking to develop leaders and innovators (and what business isn't?), this book is a great tool; buy 'em buy the case!

This book is important for anyone who aspires to lead and make use of their talents. Greatness is achieved by reaching for things worth fighting about. This book is a must and will be will be great guide. It works for business but also for people striving in the arts, sciences and in our daily lives.

One of the critical unspoken tools in leadership. Makes you review your past battles and helps to plan the next.